Month: December 2014

There’s some beautiful balance here between the personal & political. These illustrations/captions go a long way in documenting the everyday complexities and challenges (yes, challenges still) of the female gender.

I always thot it scandalous for a mother to screw. And for a writer to make money?

Myths are dangerous. -M.Engel

A short passage from the Christl Verduyn edited Marian Engel’s Notebooks “Ah, mon cahier, ecoute…” Dr. Verduyn is one of the only writers who writes consistently & substantially about Engel. 4 books & counting… Thank you Professor Verduyn!

A brief status update: half of issue 1 draft 1 is illustrated and the second half is nearly finished being storyboarded. This is what a storyboarded panel looks like, at least when the writer is not an illustrator:

Keep following along! Thanks everyone for the wonderful support so far.

The National Post reviewed Marian Engel‘s Bear this morning, describing it as “the best Canadian novel of all time.” Wow. Engel, who did not live to hear praise like this in any form… who knows what she would have thought? Well, we might. Let us take a stab at it:

This January, we will be launching the first instalment of a graphic novel inspired by the life and work of Marian Engel. Her life was full of wonderful relationships, brilliant work and compelling stories. The year 2015 will mark the 30th anniversary of Engel’s death. Since she can’t, why not tell a story about her?

This blog will be one source to follow the process of writing and illustrating this story. We believe that communities make work good, so please participate.

Our first issue will cover Engel’s childhood. Anyone curious what a prepubescent Engel might say to the National Post?